Lots of good stuff has been arriving at Casa Bookgirl over the past couple of weeks so let me tell you all about it.

First up, is the wonderful prize package I got from Dolce Bellezza for participating and completing the Japanese Reading challenge. I got a pretty journal, some lovely notecards and even a froggie origami kit. Look at all of this, and didn’t my little froggie turn out cute? He’ll have to keep me company in the studio.

My friend Isabel is always sending me the coolest packages with postcards, articles of interest and all sorts of things. This time she sent me a vintage book by H.G. Wells, which my husband took over because it’s in German. She also sent me a chapbook of poetry, Como Un Paraguayou Ebrio Y Celoso de su Hermana by Washington Cucurto.

One of the poems, Los Libros del Centro Editor, is about a writer who loves his books by the Centro Editor publishing house above all and asks to be buried with them. It made me curious if there was a Centro Editor. I’ve jumped around from site to site on the net and have found some interesting articles on the writer but not on that publishing house. I did find out about Proyecto Vox, which put together this book, and they have an interesting web site on contemporary latin american art and literature.

I’ve also done a bit of mooching recently and have received A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve, Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama and Fraud by Anita Brookner. I’m excited to read something else by Gail Tsukiyama and you know I love Anita Brookner so these were great mooches.

Finally, Postcard Journals. Okay these didn’t arrive at Casa Bookgirl but they’ve arrived in my shop. I had a fun time making these and definitely plan to use my collection of postcards to come up with more of these.

Sharing the blog love Matt, Melody & Jenners have passed on a Friends Award to me. Isn’t that sweet? Well, as you know I’m always behind so I’m breaking blog rules and not passing it on to individual names but instead I’ll pass this poem on to all of you.

I was in the mood for some fun poetry and I thought, it’s time to dig out my Shel Silverstein book out. And I did and I have this for all of you – enjoy!

If The World Was Crazy

If the world was crazy, you know what I’d eat?
A big slice of soup and a whole quart of meat,
A lemonade sandwich, and then I might try
Some roasted ice cream or a bicycle pie,
A nice notebook salad, an underwear roast,
An omelet of hats and some crisp cardboard toast,
A thick malted milk made from pencils and daisies,
And that’s what I’d eat if the world was crazy.

If the world was crazy, you know what I’d wear?
A chocolate suit and a tie of eclair,
Some marshmallow earmuffs, some licorice shoes,
And I’d read a paper of peppermint news.
I’d call the boys “Suzy” and I’d call the girls “Harry,”
I’d talk through my ears, and I always would carry
A paper umbrella for when it grew hazy
To keep in the rain, if the world was crazy.

If the world was crazy, you know what I’d do?
I’d walk on the ocean and swim in my shoe,
I’d fly through the ground and I’d skip through the air,
I’d run down the bathtub and bathe on the stair.
When I met somebody I’d say “G’bye, Joe,”
And when I was leaving–then I’d say “Hello.”
And the greatest of men would be silly and lazy
So I would be king…if the world was crazy.

Hope you all have some wonderful, silly adventures this weekend. I have a big stack of books I want to dive into, a date night at the bookstore and some crafty pursuits to attend to. More book talk soon.